


Drink

by StunAStoat



Category: Agent Carter (TV)
Genre: Angst, Doubt, F/M, Fluff, Possible Character Death, Post-Season/Series 02, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Romance, peggysous, post-Hollywood Ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-07
Updated: 2016-03-20
Packaged: 2018-05-25 05:16:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 13,893
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6181741
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StunAStoat/pseuds/StunAStoat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Peggy and Daniel finally get that drink they both postponed so long ago.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I've been shipping this since day 1, so here's some proof, finally. I hope you enjoy! I'll update as frequently as I can, probably by next weekend I'll have another part.

When she heard Daniel berate her for saving him from the rift, that chiding was the final straw which broke her reserve, and she responded to his attempt to get a rise out of her in kind. Her comeback, a passionate kiss, knocked him off balance literally and conversationally, leaving them to tumble awkwardly into his chair.

When they broke apart, Daniel took a beat to collect himself, then retorted, "Good point."

After another minute, they did cease their kissing, but refused to break their locked, intense gaze. Both were acutely aware of their position, Peggy feeling the heat of Daniel's chest rushing through to her palm, and Daniel of Peggy's weight resting on his thighs, her other hand still drifting up and down, caressing his hair and neck.

She spoke first: "How about we get that drink?"

Daniel smiled and acquiesced. Becoming conscient of their less than decorous position, they untangled themselves quickly but reluctantly, Daniel letting his hands run over her back as he removed them, Peggy bringing her hands down over his shoulders as she stood up, as if dusting off his jacket for him.

"Well, I suppose I need to find a place to stay," Peggy stated. "I should call Howard and see if he would let me stay for a few days while I find my own place. And let Chief Thompson know I won't be joining him back in New York just yet."

"I can call Thompson, let him know you’re taking more vacation days,” Daniel shrugged. “Probably better coming from me than you, and he’ll be in too much of a hurry to leave to make too big of an ass of himself.”

“Very well, thank you, Daniel. I’ll call Howard straight away.” She continued to hold his gaze a bit longer, then hesitated and looked away.

Taking a guess at interpreting her reaction, Daniel offered “I have a few things to wrap up here, and you need to see to your lodgings. Why don’t I come get you tonight and we can head out for dinner and drinks. Just let me know where to come get you.”

Peggy recollected herself and replied, “Yes, I’ll see you at half past six?”

“Sounds great. And Peg…” Daniel stood up next to her. “I’m looking forward to tonight.” He leaned in slightly to kiss her softly, cupping her face with his free hand. “I’ll wait for your call,” he finished softly.

Peggy returned the kiss with another brief peck, resting her hand on his forearm, then turned to grab her suitcases and walked out to her temporary desk area to make her call.

Daniel stood, watching her carefully shut his door again, then after a few more seconds of half-dazed silence, shook his head and sat back down to work. Realizing his focus was hopelessly split, he took a few moments to shake off the euphoria induced by the just-past events, then reached for his intercom to let Rose know to submit his report for him at her earliest convenience, and asked her to connect him to Chief Thompson at his hotel.

He was pleased he’d been able to catch Jack before he checked out, and explained to him that Peggy had requested more vacation time.

“She’s taking more vacation? Huh. Well, I guess I’m flying back alone.” Jack seemed surprised.

“She wants to take a look around LA,” Daniel supplied.

“LA?” Jack scoffed. “You couldn’t pay enough to stick around here. This whole place gives me heat rash, and you can’t find a decent pizza within a hundred miles.”

Jack interrupted himself briefly, “ I’m coming!” then continued to Daniel, “All right, they’re throwing me out of here. Gotta go.”

Daniel chuckled and hung up the phone. Trust Jack to be more concerned with how he was affected than to be curious about why Peggy wanted more time off. Bless that aptly-named ass. He didn’t need anyone else butting in, nor did Peg, but he felt certain it was only a matter of time before Rose was on both of their cases, his in particular.

He let himself have a quick final glance at Peggy, seeing her talking on the phone to Stark or Jarvis, mercifully with her back to his office, then sighed and dove back into his paperwork for the afternoon.

\\\||//

“Ana, I’m so glad to speak to you again. I was actually wondering if Howard is around the house? I need to ask him a favor.”

“You decided to stay longer!” Ana exclaimed. “Oh, I’m so pleased. I’m sure Mr. Stark would be happy to let you stay as long as you like. I will have him pick up the telephone in his lab. I won’t be a moment.”

“Thank you so much, Ana,” Peggy said, smiling. “I’ll wait on the line.”

A few minutes later, she heard a handset pick up, followed by Howard grumbling about interruption and Ana politely insisting that he talk to Miss Carter.

“All right, all right,” she heard Howard say, then, “Hey, Peg, wasn’t expecting to hear from you so soon. You interrupted some good thinking time. What do you need?”

“Well, Howard,” she started, “I decided to extend my stay a bit longer and, well, I was hoping that I could stay with you a few more days until I can locate more suitable lodgings. I would hate to be an imposition…”

Howard interrupted, “Sure, Peg, stay as long as you need! You don’t need to find another place, my doors are always open. I’ll tell Ana and Jarvis to expect you. I need to get back to it, so Ana will talk to you again. Ciao.”

Before she could say anything else to Howard, she heard the huff with which Howard handed off the phone and heard Ana’s voice again:

“I will have Mr. Jarvis to come collect you again from the office? He should be home soon, and will be delighted to hear that you’ll be staying with us after all, and I will get your room ready for you at once.”

Ana’s no-nonsense response made Peggy smile, and she couldn’t help but acquiesce and said “I will be waiting for him in the theatrical agency. Thank you so much, Ana. I have one more brief request for you, if it’s not too much.”

“Of course not,” Ana said. “What do you need?”

Hesitantly, Peggy asked “Would you mind helping me prepare some suitable dinner attire for tonight? I’m afraid all of my clothes have been packed for several hours and may not be recoverable by this evening.”

“Of course, Miss Carter! I’d be delighted. I’ll find you something at once.”

“Oh, thank you! You are wonderful.” Peggy breathed a sigh of relief, noting that it did not actually calm but rather incite the butterflies coming to life in her stomach.

“I will get straight to work, Miss Carter! I’m anxious for you to see what I obtain for you. Goodbye!” Ana hung up the telephone, and Peggy did hers as well, noting that she let the receiver fall a little quickly.

She could feel the heat in her cheeks and was grateful that it was currently lunch hour, so she was alone in the area, and was able to take the time to compose herself. Resisting the urge to turn and look at Daniel’s office, she instead stooped to grab her bags and straightened to walk smartly out of the office, down to the theatrical agency storefront to wait with Rose. She was unable to keep herself from a quick side glance at Daniel and saw, to her relief, that his back was to the window as he spoke to someone on the phone. One less test of her resolve before tonight. Just then, Daniel turned, and they locked eyes. He smiled, and she could not help returning it, then forced herself to continue downstairs to Rose.

She couldn’t believe that she felt a little giddy, like a young girl, over this. She welcomed the unaccustomed feeling as she went downstairs, then set about composing her face for Rose, who would certainly pick up on the slightest out of the ordinary signal she sent. By the time she’d reached the bottom of the stairs, she felt composed, calm as possible, and ready to see what exactly the awful audition was she heard as she approached the secret door.

As she exited the filing area, the raucously happy number subsided and she heard Rose deliver her timeless line, “I’m sorry, I don’t think you’re right for the Auerbach Theatrical Agency. Have a nice day.” Peggy smiled, admiring Rose’s ability to say the line without exasperation despite the surprisingly high number of times she had already said it in the months since opening the SSR’s public front. She walked out to the sounds of huffing, and the packing up of props and costumes, at which she raised an eyebrow and turned to direct a meaningful glance at Rose, expressing surprise and irony.

As soon as she had herded the erstwhile act out of the agency front, Rose turned to Peggy and said,

“Peg, honestly. How do you think they find us?” Shaking her head ruefully, Rose gave Peggy a warm hug. “I’m going to miss having you out here with me. It was really swell getting to actually work with you.”

“And you as well, Rose,” Peggy returned, “but as it turns out, I’m not leaving town quite yet. I decided I would stay a little longer to really check out some of the sights, since I never got the chance on my previous vacation days.”

“Oh, and which sights would those be?” Rose asked, arching an eyebrow inquisitively. She continued, “Everything, by any chance?”

“Well, I will be joining Chief Sousa for dinner this evening, if that’s what you’re trying to ask me.” Peggy decided the best course of action was simply to give Rose exactly what she was looking for, thus avoiding the awkward, pointed digging. Rose was momentarily dumbfounded, then her face lit up and she embraced Peggy again.

“Finally!” She tittered happily. “I have been waiting for this since, well, since the beginning. He’s always been sweet on you, you know?”

“Yes, I did, erm, deduce as much myself, but when he moved out to open the LA office, well….” Peggy trailed off.

“He did a dumb thing which he’s fortunate didn’t bite him in the you-know-where. Stubborn fool. Violet was a lovely girl, but I always knew it was really you he cared for.”

“It’s funny, Rose, I was never supposed to be out here. Thompson told me Daniel requested me particularly, whereas Daniel requested just anyone. If Jack weren’t such an interfering ass, I don’t know that I would have spoken to Daniel again, let alone be having dinner. He never returned my calls.”

“That figures.” Rose paused for a moment. “He fell in with Violet too fast and he panicked. And then when you came out here, well, by then, I hadn’t figured it for being as serious as they’d made it. But I’m glad you did, because this way, neither of them ends up married and realizing they had made a mistake. Good for Jack. But here I am, prattling on. Sorry, Peg, nervous habit. I’ve said too much.”

“No, no, Rose, it’s a difficult situation. You’re right. I’m afraid I’ve acted impulsively.” Peggy sank down into a nearby chair, setting her suitcases beside her.

“Oh, Peg, no, I didn’t mean anything by what I was saying,” Rose attempted to comfort her. “Look, where are you going until dinner?”

“I made arrangements to stay with Mr. Stark again, so Mr. Jarvis is kindly coming back to collect me.”

“We have a few moments, why don’t I make you some tea while we watch the front,” Rose offered.

“Tea sounds perfectly lovely, thank you Rose. I’m happy to he—“

Rose interrupted her before she could finish. “Peggy Carter, you need tea, and I am making it for you. You’ll just have to accept my help because I will kick you out if you even try to lift a finger to make this tea! Understood, Peg?”

“Yes ma’am, understood.” Peggy managed a small smile at Rose.

At Peggy’s agreement, Rose stepped back into an alcove to get some water boiling for tea. “So, staying with Stark again? How are the Jarvises? Mrs. Jarvis? Is she home yet?”

“Yes, Ana just returned home this morning, in fact. She was moving about quite well, considering.”

Rose came back in a few moments later. “There, I’ve put the kettle on. I insisted on buying it because I was hoping you’d join us at some point. Glad it’s being put to use.”

“Rose, am I doing the right thing, staying here longer? I don’t know where this is going.” Peggy sounded uncharacteristically unsure of herself.

“Yes. Absolutely. The two of you need to sit down and talk. You’ve never done that, have you? Sat down, the two of you, to talk about how you feel?”

“No, we haven’t had the chance, really, ever. He was promoted so quickly that we never talked in New York, and as you know, we’ve been working this case around the clock.”

“I’m sure it will be difficult, Peg, but just make sure you’re being honest with him, and I know he will be with you. He’s someone you can trust; I think you know that already.”

“I trust him with my life, Rose.”

The two women sat silent for a moment, then Rose reached out to squeeze Peggy’s hand. She started again, “As you should.” Then, much more brightly, “So, what will you wear? Do you know where you’re going? What’s the plan for tonight?”

“Goodness, Rose, slow down a bit, I can only answer so many questions at once!” Peggy smiled at her friend.

Just then, the kettle went off and Rose fretted and rushed off to tend to the tea-making. Peggy grew nervous again, but pleasantly so – her excitement for the upcoming dinner was increasing by the moment, it seemed. She mused on what Rose had said, regarding Daniel’s quick relationship with Violet. She certainly understood the attraction – Violet was a vibrant, kind, affectionate woman. It would be hard to expect Daniel not to be attracted to her.

“Peg?” Rose was standing in front of her with a worried expression, holding two cups of tea.

“Yes? Oh, thank you so much. This is just what I need.” Peggy took the tea gratefully and brought it up for a sip, then stopped just short.

“Rose, what on earth is going on with you and Dr. Samberly?”

“Nothing at all,” Rose responded, sounding surprised.

Peggy raised an eyebrow.

“I mean, he’s clearly after me, but I don’t know how I feel about him. I’ll have to wait and see.”

“I see,” mused Peggy, finally drinking some tea. “Well, you’ll have to let me know what happens, of course.”

“Of course I will! One of the drawbacks of being at the LA office is the lack of girls around. I miss being able to talk to the girls like we did at the phone company back in New York. We do have to stick together around here. At least Daniel isn’t as much of a stick in the mud as Dooley or that brash lout, Thompson. The ego on that one, honestly.”

“I know what you mean. He even manages to be self-deprecating in an overbearing, obnoxious way.”

Peggy and Rose lapsed into silence, enjoying their tea for a few minutes, when Rose remembered, “Oh, no you don’t! You were trying to distract me. What on earth will you be wearing tonight? I will have an answer out of you!” Rose wagged her finger threateningly.

“I don’t know yet, honestly,” Peggy said fretfully. “I packed all my clothes, and I doubt I can have anything ready for tonight, but Ana Jarvis is a miracle worker, and she said she’d help me when I called to speak to Mr. Stark. If she has her way, I’m sure it will be something very modern and splendid.”

“Good. She seems like a woman with a strong sense of fashion. I’m glad she’s in your corner. She’ll make you up right.”

“She certainly will. She has been wonderfully helpful with my wardrobe when I’ve had to go undercover here.”

“Do you know where Daniel will take you yet?” Rose inquired.

“No, we didn’t discuss it. We just agreed he would arrive at half past six. Which reminds me, I need to let him know I will be staying at Howard’s. I…” Peggy’s voice constricted nervously. “Rose, would you let him know I’ll be staying there? I don’t know if I can talk to him again right now.”

“Of course. Anything to help you two lovebirds.” Rose smiled. “I know it’s been a rough road, but it warms my heart to see you two working toward something personal together, instead of building a case. It’s about time, too! I was wondering when you two would figure out how you feel about each other.”

“You knew?”

“How could I not know!” Rose said animatedly. “You two are about as subtle as an atomic explosion, honestly.”

“I never knew anything of the sort!” Peggy protested. “Yes, well, feelings have never been something I’ve much wanted to discuss, and almost always waiting until it’s too late. One would think I would have learned my lesson my now,” she said, her lips curving into a rueful smile.

“You’ve been through so much, Peg, it’s completely understandable that you didn’t realize what was going on until it was too late. We all know you were still mourning when you met Daniel. Everyone, including Daniel, knew that, and you know he’d never do anything that wasn’t respectful to you.”

At that moment, a horn sounded, revealing to the block that Jarvis had arrived to re-collect his houseguest.

“Do you need a hand out with the bags, Peg?” Rose asked.

“No, I’ll manage, thank you, and thank you so much for the tea and chat. I’ll look forward to seeing you again very soon.”

“Of course! Have a wonderful night. I’ll let the chief know where to come get you!”

\\\||//

Daniel was preoccupied for a while, but he managed to decide on a suitable restaurant that wasn’t too far away from Stark’s estate, and mercifully, it was one he hadn’t been to with Violet. While he was waiting on hold about reservations, he saw Peggy heading out past his office, looking at him. He couldn’t help but smile at her, anticipating tonight.

 _Violet_ , he thought ruefully. _I really do care for her, but just not in the same way I do for Peg. She was right, as it happens._ Sighing, he continued fiddling with the pen on his desktop when he found out he was able to secure them reservations at 7:00. Thanking the maître d’, he hung up and resolved to get back to work until he had to go home to change. Of all days, of course he had no change of clothes with him today.

“Okay, a few hours.” He told himself. “You can manage a few hours work.”

Resigning himself to the paperwork in front of him, he reluctantly dove in, determined to be productive instead of worrying or daydreaming about what may or may not happen tonight.

He started small, just organizing his desk. He and Peggy had managed to knock some of his papers out of order. That brought a smile back to his face. Only she would have reacted to his goading that way. He knew he would get a strong reaction out of her, but he had expected words. The kiss made more sense, though, was more Peggy. As he restacked papers, and tidied up in general, he found himself thinking of when they had almost kissed in the surveillance van. He knew then that she felt something. That was no one-sided attempt; she had leaned in to kiss him as he had her. And then after this afternoon in his office, there was no question she felt something for him.

He knew that she had felt something for Wilkes – he had seen the way she spoke to him, the way she reached out for him, her desperation when he initially went missing. But Wilkes was back, and she still kissed _him_ , it was _he_ for whom she was staying in Los Angeles longer, and it was _he_ who was her dinner companion for the evening.

Maybe they were both reacting to his involvement with Violet. Peggy may never have entertained anything with Wilkes if he hadn’t tried so hard to get over her. He had certainly made a mess of things. That was something to talk about tonight. They could hardly avoid discussing Violet, as she was so recently a huge part of his life. He had proposed to her, for crying out loud. There was no sense worrying about it now. No doubt he and Peggy would discuss this tonight. He would hope she could forgive him for the way he avoided his feelings.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to everyone for your kind feedback. Seriously, y'all are so sweet.

“Miss Carter,” the distinctly proper voice of Edwin Jarvis greeted her, “I was utterly delighted to hear from Ana upon my return home that you would be staying with us longer. Please allow me to convey you home at once.”

“Thank you, Mr. Jarvis,” Peggy responded wryly. “I’m sorry to trouble you on the second trip, but Ana was adamant, so I didn’t dare argue.”

“As she should have been, Miss Carter. Shall we?” He finished, as he closed her car door.

As Jarvis set out towards the Stark estate, a few minutes passed in uncharacteristic silence, Peggy waited, curious to see whether Jarvis would finally ask the question she knew he was burning to ask. She kept her face as neutral as possible, using Jarvis’s obvious discomfiture as a distraction from the more important matter at hand. She used her training and pushed the matter out of her head, choosing instead to focus on Jarvis and the scenery.

She decided to relieve the pressure instead and chose to pass the time in the car by asking questions about the buildings and various businesses they passed, questions which Jarvis cheerfully answered with brief anecdotes about a surprising number of them. This distraction did have the somewhat unintended effect of bolstering his confidence, prompting him when they were a few minutes from their destination to ask so very solemnly,

“Miss Carter,” he began, “I trust this means you found a compelling reason to stay?”

“It means I have a reason to stay for a few more days, Mr. Jarvis. To anything beyond a few days, I cannot speak.”

“Well. I am pleased to hear of this development nonetheless. Will you require my services for the evening?” He inquired, carefully fishing for additional information.

Peggy decided to give it to him. “Thank you, but no, I will not. I’m certain you will be able to enjoy a wonderful night in with Ana, as Chief Sousa will provide all necessary transportation for the evening.” She resisted the urge to smile when she saw Jarvis briefly react and then cover with his best possible poker face.

“Very good, then,” he said, a note of excitement apparent in his tone, “for as much as I do enjoy helping you in whatever ways in which I am able, I will certainly enjoy the opportunity to spend the evening with Ana.”

Peggy was relieved that at this particular juncture in the conversation, they pulled into the drive to the house and were able to make busy with unloading her bags and reclaiming her bedroom. As soon as he had deposited her bags, Jarvis excused himself to park the car and check on Ana and Howard.

Peggy sat on the bed for a moment, feeling dazed by the rapid, almost spur of the moment decision that led to her presence in the Stark mansion once again. It was a quick decision. She had made the decision on instinct. She knew Daniel had been right, but the way in which he had brought up the matter to her – obviously he was trying to get a rise out of her, to provoke a response, but that smirk he was so clearly not trying to hide, that was what sealed it for her. She knew at that point they were on the same page – each knew there was an attraction on the part of the other. So she reacted – she was surprised at the way in which she did act.

She really had been doing a lot of that, lately, kissing. Her kisses with Jason were more based in the excitement of the moment, and both initiated by him. Not that she minded, necessarily, but given Jason’s reactions to her decisions, and the way he decided to team up with Whitney, well…He was a good man, but when pushed over the edge (not a long distance, apparently), it seemed he didn’t know to use his head to guide his actions.

She thought back to the kiss she and Daniel had almost shared in the van. She hadn’t intended it to happen, not that it did, but she was grateful they didn’t manage to kiss, for several reasons, the least of which was how having your first kiss with someone christened by a dead man landing on the roof of your vehicle seemed a tad ominous.

Her musings were interrupted by Ana knocking and requesting to be let in, saying she had a few things to show Peggy.

“Oh, yes, please come in,” Peggy said quickly as she stood and opened her suitcase. “Yes, I was just beginning to unpack again.”

“Yes, I see, let me help you while you take a look at _these_ ,” Ana said as she produced the dresses with a flourish, then hung them for Peggy to peruse, with a slight wince.

“Oh, Ana, you’re still recovering, please don’t go to the trouble of unpacking for me, I’ve plenty of time to take care of that before dinner.” She spoke in an attempt to stop Ana as she reached toward the suitcase, but Ana responded, “Nonsense, I should have known better than to twirl, but I was simply too excited for you to hold it in. I will take care of this; you have a more pressing matter – selecting your outfit for the evening!”

Peggy admired Ana’s resilience. She, like her husband, had been through so much in the short time she had known her, but was clearly choosing to continue with her usual good humor, rather than allow herself to be taken down into self-pity and doubt.

“Well, go on, look!’ Ana urged.

Peggy finally turned to look at the dresses Ana had found for her. All three were lovely dresses with elegant lines, perfect for an evening out. She looked at the first, the red she had so recently worn to the racetrack to talk with Calvin Chadwick.

“I don’t think I want to wear the red again,” Peggy said quietly. “Too many bad things are already associated with it.”

“Of course not. Well, the green or the blue? Take a close look at each, try them both on. Go on!” Ana urged her to change.

Peggy took both dresses with her into the spacious bathroom, deciding to don the green first. It was a lovely dark green v-neck, shirtwaist dress with ruching in the bust, cap sleeves, and a flared skirt.

“I’ve got the first one, Ana,” she called as she came into the bedroom again. “Would you mind finishing the zipper for me?

“Oh, you look so lovely, Miss Carter!” she said, delighted. “The color really suits you.”

“I do like the way it drapes, but I’m not sure it feels quite right. I’ll have to pop into the other to be sure.”

“Of course,” Ana said, undoing the zipper for her.

Peggy continued back to change into the final option for the evening, a short-sleeved blue dress with a scoop neckline embroidered to resemble a floral vine pattern and an ample skirt that fell elegantly from her waist to below her knees in a lively waves. As soon she did up the zipper as far as she could, she indulged herself with a twirl, admiring the way the skirt moved with her.

She smiled, pleased at the way the dress felt and looked on her, and turned to go back out to Ana, then yelped in surprised when she found Ana arriving directly behind her already.

“I’m sorry, dear, I didn’t mean to startle you. I just finished hanging your clothes. You’re right, we don’t have time to properly remedy those creases before you need to be ready! What do you think of this one?”

“I love it. It’s perfect. The color, the movement, the details, it just feels right. I feel excited to wear it. How did you know?”

“It just seemed right, it seemed like you.” Ana beamed at Peggy, overjoyed at her friend’s excitement. “Now, shoes.”

\\\||//

A frantic knock at his door roused Daniel from his monotonous paperwork. He gestured at Rose to come in, so she burst through the door, clearly upset.

“It’s Chief Thompson. He was found shot in his hotel room. The New York office was contacted and they called to let us know. All I know is he was taken to the nearest hospital. They haven’t heard anything since and are asking that someone go over to find out more information.”

Daniel started at her revelation. He had just spoken to Jack an hour before, if that. He hoped to God he was all right. He stood as quickly as he could, reaching for his jacket before heading past Rose.

“Rose, I need you to do me a favor. Please call Peggy and tell her what happened, and that I’ll call her from the hospital.”

He called out for one of the more senior his agents, putting him in charge and giving him instructions as he headed downstairs. Rose rushed on ahead to call Peggy as the chief detailed his requirements then made his exit, rushing to his car.

Daniel threw his crutch into the car and calculated the fastest route to the hospital Rose told him about. He’d had an agent injured previously (minor injury – dislocated shoulder from a training exercise) so he was familiar with its location. He estimated it would take 30 minutes to arrive, if he were lucky, and planned to make it so, going as quickly as he reasonably could without having to worry about getting pulled over and negotiating a ticket with the police.

How the hell did Jack get shot? Was this related to what happened with Whitney Frost and Joseph Manfredi? He eliminated Frost; she was securely in custody and too disoriented to have orchestrated a shooting, or undertaken one herself. The SSR had managed to end this on amicable terms with Manfredi. He doubted Manfredi would do something like this to break the goodwill fostered by their cooperation, especially since the SSR did was Manfredi wanted and got the zero matter out of his girlfriend.

Daniel tapped his fingers impatiently on the steering wheel, waiting at yet another traffic light. The damn things never cooperated with him when he was in a hurry, not even in such an emergency would they heed him. Now the next question is, was the shooter after Jack because of his involvement in something related to the Isodyne incidents? He sighed. Just about anyone could be a potential suspect in the shooting of a relatively senior government agent, but few would have the resources and know-how to pull such a thing off. Jack might act needlessly full of himself, but Daniel knew he could take care of himself in all kinds of serious situations.

There were loose ends that weren’t tied up yet from Isodyne. Dottie Underwood, for one, was certainly dangerous enough to be able to get one over on Jack. She had gotten away from Peggy after Ana was shot, leaving a shot police officer in her wake. The other loose end, he didn’t know enough about. Vernon Masters, of whom Jack had been so enamored, they didn’t find evidence one way or another regarding him at the defunct plant. It’s possible Frost had killed him, allowing the zero matter to absorb him, but it was really impossible to say one way or another, consider the evidence of both life and death in this situation was no evidence at all. And with the remaining members of the Arena club, well, they wouldn’t be too happy with the SSR so it was impossible to rule out them or their cronies.

Finally, he arrived at the hospital, parking in the first space he found, mercifully close to the entrance. Asking for Jack at the front, he was directed to another floor. Winding his way through the maze-like corridors, he found an elevator and rushed to the room to find a police officer standing guard outside.

The officer gave him the rundown on what they knew: fortunately for Jack, he checking out so close to the deadline that the hotel staff came to check on him, and found him on the ground, bleeding out. Luckily, a guest at the hotel was trained in emergency aid was able to deal with him somewhat to help slow the bleeding, but from what he heard and Thompson’s place in critical care, he suspected it would be nearly miraculous for Jack to survive even the next few hours, but any slim hope he may have of Jack being able to survive this needed to be officially either discouraged or encouraged by a doctor, who he sought out at the nurses’ stand. They informed him the doctor on call would see him as soon as he could to give him more information, but that he might have to wait for a long time, depending on the needs of the other patients, but they ask him to come sooner if possible.

After asking for the nearest phone, he went to call his SSR office to let Rose know he had arrived and give her what little information he had with directions to pass it on to the New York office, and that he would call to update in the next few hours, whenever he managed to speak with a doctor.

“Rose, before I let you go,” Daniel continued, “has any additional information surfaced from the police station?”

“The only current piece of information was that the hotel staff and the investigating officers reported no sign of forced entry, so how exactly this went down is being determined. They’re working on the timeline right now. They did want me to let them know about what time you hung up with Jack, do you recall? “

“Yes,” he replied, “we must have hung up about 2:30.”

“Ok, chief,” Rose said, her voice even more solemn than before. “I wanted to make sure someone had reached out to Chief Thompson’s family. I’ll let you know what happens.”

“Thank you, Rose. I know you’ve got things handled at the office. If anything additional comes up, have someone contact me at the hospital. I’ll be here, likely for the night, if Jack makes it or not.”

“How is he doing? Have you seen him yet?”

“No, but I imagine, given the incident, he’s in pretty bad shape. It’s amazing he’s breathing at all right now.”

“Anything you need sent over to you,” Rose asked, worried.

“No, thanks, I’ll be fine, just tell our guys to come over here to me after they’ve hit the crime scene. I’ll want to check it out myself as soon as I know one way or another about Jack.”

“Yes, chief. We’ll be in touch.”

Sousa hung up the phone slowly, then prepared to make what he knew would be an even more difficult call. He picked up, hesitated for a moment, then began dialing the Stark residence number he had in his pocketbook.

“Stark residence, Mr. Jarvis speaking, how may I help you?” The prim, precise voice greeted him politely, making him feel even more uncomfortable despite its familiarity.

“Jarvis, it’s Sousa. I’ve got some bad news, and I need to speak to Peggy immediately. It’s regarding Jack.”

“Chief Sousa, of course,” Jarvis acquiesced. “Please hold the line, I will tell her to pick up at once.”

Daniel heard the click of the receiver being set down before he could say anything else, and waited, anxious. He didn’t have to wait long before he heard Peggy pick up the phone, sounding worried.

“Daniel? What is it? Mr. Jarvis said something about Jack?”

“Peg, Jack’s been shot. I’m at the hospital waiting to see him and speak to his doctor.” He heard a gasp, so he paused, but since she didn’t interrupt, he took his cue to continue. “He was found shot in the chest at close range by the hotel staff because he was late on checkout. He’s been somewhat stabilized, but according to the officer who was set to guard him when he arrived, it was touch and go all the way. I’ve been told by the nurses the doctor probably won’t be available for a while, so I don’t know how long I’ll be waiting. I…” he was forced to stop by a rogue flare of emotion, which he had been able to keep in check until now. “From the sound of it, Peg, I don’t know that he’s going to make it. It sounds pretty rough.”

The two sat in silence for a few beats, then Peggy spoke, “Daniel, I’m coming down to the hospital with you. Which one is it?”

“No, wait. If you think you can, please go to his hotel to supervise the agents I sent over to check out the room. I want to get over there myself, but I can’t leave the hospital. There’s no one I’d trust more to check it out.”

“I’ll see if Mr. Jarvis can drive me right away.”

“Thank you, Peg. I’m just glad you’re still here, and safe. The fact that someone got to Jack…”

“Don’t worry about me. You know I can take care of myself, and I won’t be alone.”

“I’ll try. I’ll see you when you get here.”

“I’ll be there soon, Daniel.”

Daniel hung up the phone again, then sighed deeply. He turned to head to Jack’s room at last. He knew the calls had to be made before he saw Jack, but he had been relieved to put off the visit a little longer. He and Jack had their differences, but he still respected him and cared for him. The man might have had some problems with direction and attitude, moreso of late, but he was still a good agent and a good man.

Nodding at the police officer posted outside the door, he entered the room, all too uncomfortable already, thinking back to all of the time he spent in hospitals when he was recovering from his injuries and operations. Seeing Jack immobile, pale, almost lifeless, hit Daniel hard, jolting him back even more to the times he had seen others, including members of his own regiment, in the same situation. He moved the room’s chair so that he could see the whole room – door, window, Jack, and settled in for an uncomfortable night, trying not to lapse into the all-too-vivid memories conjured by his surroundings.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm hoping to get the next part, if not the next two, up next week. We'll see how it goes. Also, still crossing my fingers for renewal!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who's left comments and kudos! I really appreciate them :) This is a little shorter than the last couple, but I hope you enjoy!

Peggy hung up the phone and immediately rose from the chair into which she’d sunk when she heard Daniel’s news. Pulling on her clothes from the day again, she called out.

“Mr. Jarvis?” she asked, slipping into and fastening her shoes.

“Yes, Miss Carter?” Jarvis spoke from just the next room – he must have waited, knowing something grim was on the horizon. She opened the door and met him in the adjoining drawing room.

“Mr. Jarvis, I’m afraid I have bad news, and I will be in need of transportation rather quickly, if you are available. Chief Thompson has been shot. He was attacked in his hotel room when he was preparing to check out. Chief Sousa asked me to supervise the agents he sent to look over the room, then I will be going to the hospital to meet him and see Chief Thompson.”

“Oh dear. Yes, I can be ready to take you in a matter of minutes. I will bring the car around immediately.”

After Mr. Jarvis left, Mrs. Jarvis entered from another room.

“You’re not getting ready anymore. What’s wrong?” Ana asked, surprised.

“No, Ana, I’m afraid my supervisor was attacked in his hotel room just an hour or two ago. Chief Sousa has asked me to help him look into this and, well, I need to go to the hospital after to report and to see how he’s doing.”

“Oh my,” was all Ana managed at first. “Well, Miss Carter, I am so sorry. Please, let me send some food with you for you both. Do you need Edwin to drive you?”

“Thank you so much, that would be a great help. I’m sure Chief Sousa will be in need of something to eat. Mr. Jarvis had just left before you came in, and he did say he was able to drive me.”

Ana took Peggy’s hand.

“Of course, Miss Carter, we are glad to be able to help you,” she said, then impulsively hugged the other woman.

Peggy hugged her back, touched by the display of emotion.

The two women separated, then heard “Ana? Where are you?” coming from several rooms over.

“In here, dear, with Peggy,” Ana responded.

Jarvis bustled in, saying, “My dear, did Miss Carter tell you what happened? I will be taking her to and from the hotel, then the hospital, then back.”

“I’m going to grab the rest of my things,” Peggy said, excusing herself. “Thank you both for your help. Mr. Jarvis, I expect I’ll be spending most of the night at the hospital, and I’m sure I can ask Chief Sousa to bring me back in the event that we…that we leave before morning, so I won’t have to ask you to wait for me at the hospital.”

She left the two alone to talk and say goodbye for the time being. She heard them talking as they walked out, and while, she was grateful for their support, she needed a moment to recompose herself. The thought of Jack dying was not something for which she had prepared herself. Considering how lucky they had all been to get out of the Isodyne incident unscathed, with it having wrapped up just yesterday, she had not been prepared to lose anyone. Admitting to Mr. and Mrs. Jarvis that Jack may possibly die in the night brought up her fear of loss, her anger. She allowed herself a minute to acknowledge how she felt, she then composed herself.

Grabbing her handbag, she headed out to meet grab the food from Ana, then meet Mr. Jarvis out front.

\\\||//

As he awaited the doctor, Daniel observed Jack, contemplating the various things that Jack had done which might have led him to this room. Focusing on the case gave him a way of pushing aside his own dark thoughts which kept bringing him back to the harrowing times of inaction after the battles, or in between skirmishes, when men were waiting for either medical attention or the next bout, tension thick in the air.

After a time, he was able to push those feelings away again enough to focus clearly on the case, following the avenues of his thoughts until they ended and he instead reached the less-grounded ideas, speculation, rather than fact. He had taken a small notebook out of his pocket in order to keep track of any information he found relevant. Since he and Peggy had not documented exactly what Jack had been up to during the course of the investigation, it was good to get some information down on paper now to help organize his thoughts. His earlier worried musings were the only local leads he could think of – Dottie Underwood, Vernon Masters, were he still alive, or a member of the Arena club remained the prime suspects, although until more information was provided, as the head of a major branch of the SSR, it could hardly be discounted that this might be an attempt by Leviathan to harm operations.

Until he had more details from his team and from Peggy, there was really nothing else he could do for now. He hoped she would arrive within an hour or so. At this realization, flashes of what had happened earlier in his office appeared unbidden in his mind’s eye, even the sensations came back to him, feeling Peggy grasp him, then her weight, her warmth, her hands, her lips…all of it rushed back at once, filling him with a euphoria he had not known in years. Part of him still couldn’t believe that she kissed him. The whole situation had a surreal feeling to it, particularly with the emotional investigation they were opening on the heels of the previous difficult case.

Daniel didn’t want to let himself get distracted from the case, but he also knew that ignoring his feelings for Peggy or compartmentalizing them was no longer an option. Such a tactic had barely been possible before, as he had discovered. He planned to talk with her after they discussed the situation with Jack, hoping they could take some time to unpack some of their feelings somewhat.

At the sound of footsteps, he looked up, hoping to see the doctor as promised, as he had been waiting for almost two hours. A man in a white coat walked in, asking, “Chief Sousa?”

“Yes?” Daniel replied, standing to greet him.

“I’m Dr. Boone, I’ve been in charge of Mr. Thompson’s care since he was discharged from emergency care, and I can fill you in on how he’s doing. I understand you two work together?”

“Yes, he’s a colleague and a friend. I’ve been asked by our agency to look into what happened with him, and they’ll be wanting updates on his condition as well.”

“Well, let’s talk. I’ll have a nurse come start re-checking his vitals for me.”

Dr. Boone stepped out to speak to the nurses currently available, then came back in with one in tow who walked straight over to Jack and started by taking his pulse.

“Please, sit,” Dr. Boone told Daniel, “no need to stand on my account.”

As Daniel sat down, the doctor began his accounting of Jack’s condition. “When Mr. Thompson came in, he was fortunate to have been tended to by another doctor present at the hotel. That man rode to the hospital with him so he could give the ambulance crew an idea of what had happened already, so when he arrived here, he was not yet stable, but not declining too rapidly, either. He had lost a fair amount of blood, which you can see we are replacing through transfusion. The bullet was easily removed, and did not hit any major veins or arteries. It is possible your friend may yet live, but we won’t know until we see how he fares through the rest of the night. Depending on how well he takes to the transfusion, he may wake up in the night or morning, but, of course, this is all speculation. And we do have to be careful about infection, especially since the bullet did fracture one of his ribs. If he does make it, he’s going to have a long recovery.”

“Dr. Boone?” The nurse called him over, and they consulted, then she left again.

“So, according to Nurse Haskell, his pulse is still weaker than we would like, and his blood pressure low. The nursing staff will be in and out all night, monitoring him every hour, given his critical condition. You are welcome to stay until visiting hours end at 8pm, but then I’m afraid you’ll need to leave. You can leave your information at the nurses’ station. If you’d like, they will notify you if his condition worsens during off hours so you can come back to say goodbye, if you’d like. My shift doesn’t end until tomorrow, so I’ll be here in the morning as well.”

“Thank you for the information, doctor. I’ll be certain to leave my information with the nurses.” Daniel extended his hand to Dr. Boone.

“Glad to speak with you.” Boone shook his hand, then left.

\\\||//

As Jarvis pulled up to the hospital, she thanked him.

“I very much appreciate all your help today, Mr. Jarvis. Depending on Chief Thompson’s condition, if he is poorly off, I expect either I or Chief Sousa, or both of us, will be here most of the night. If not, Chief Sousa will bring me back, as I expect we will be here late.”

“As always, I am most happy to help, Miss Carter, after all you have done. I myself am grateful that we are still friends, in spite of my reckless behavior.”

“Of course. Please, give my best to Ana and Howard, if he is in. You all certainly deserve a night of peace.”

“Take care, Miss Carter. Ana and I will leave something out for you and Chief Sousa, in case you need food when you return, and please let him know I will make up one of the other bedrooms, should he prefer to stay, depending on the hour.”

“That’s very kind, I’ll let him know. Good night, Mr. Jarvis.”

At that, he nodded and let her pass before leaving the hospital. Peggy stood for a moment, watching the car, then headed to find Jack’s room and bring Daniel what little evidence they and the police had recovered. She found the room fairly easily, and walked in to see Jack lying prone in bed, ashen, frail-looking, then Daniel looking at her from across the room, getting out of his chair to come to her. She paused a moment, taken  aback by just how poorly Jack looked, in spite of Daniel’s warning of the seriousness of his condition. Daniel stopped a few feet from her, giving her a moment to compose her thoughts. She stepped forward again, reaching her hand out for his.

“How is he doing? Were you able to speak to his doctor?” She inquired, visibly worried.

“The doc seemed reluctant to say this exactly, but he seems to think it’s touch and go right now. He said there’s a chance, and if he makes it through the night, it’s more likely he’ll survive, but he’s still very weak right now from the blood loss.” Daniel squeezed her hand gently as he spoke, attempting to offer reassurance. “I was going to stay here until they kick us out at 8, just in case.”

“Yes, of course. I’m afraid I don’t have good news, either. No fingerprints, no evidence of struggle, at a glance, nothing appeared missing from Jack’s belongings, but of course, he would be the only one who would really be able to answer that question. I sent the men back to write up a report, which they will leave with Rose so she can see to getting it to you when you need it, or leave it on your desk.”

“It sounds like we’re just in for a wait, then.” Daniel sighed. “What’s the in the bag?”

“Ana Jarvis insisted I bring food with me for the two of us, so I’ve got dinner. Have you eaten?”

“No, I hadn’t wanted to leave, in case I missed the doctor. You only just missed him, in fact, he was here not ten minutes ago. Why don’t you sit and I’ll ask the nurses for another chair so we can sit and eat.”

“Thank you, Daniel. I’ll start unpacking the food.” She squeezed his hand then reluctantly released it, managing a half-smile at him before he turned to exit the room. She walked to the chair, set down the bag, and began to determine its contents. Sandwiches, it seemed, and some fresh fruit. She decided to leave the other item Ana had provided in the bag until later.

Daniel returned with a nurse not far behind him, carrying another chair, which she set down next to Peggy.

“Do you want a tray or something?” She offered. “If you’re going to eat, it would be easier, and we can spare a dinner tray.”

“Yes, thanks, if it’s not any trouble, that would be lovely,” Peggy replied.

“You’re welcome. I’ll be back in no time.”

“Need anything?” Daniel asked

“No, I’ll just wait for the nurse to get back to set up. That was kind of her to offer us a tray.”

“They’ve all been helpful since I got here, looking for the doctor and then a phone to check in.”

The nurse arrived with a wheeled tray.

“Where do you want it?” She asked.

“Oh, over here, thank you again. You’re too kind.”

“Nonsense, I’m happy to help. It’s why I’m here. Besides, it’s nice to see people worried about their friend. Me and a couple other girls are on until midnight, and a few others will be here all night, so just ask us if you need anything. Nurse Haskell will be in and out every hour or so to check on your friend, and you can ask her, too.”

At that, she returned to the nurses’ station, closing the door behind her. Peggy repositioned the tray and chairs such that both chairs faced toward the entrance to the room and gave them a line of sight on Jack, but were far enough back from his bed that they would not be in the way of the nursing staff when they came in to check on Jack.

“Daniel, sit, you look exhausted,” Peggy insisted. “you need to eat something.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Daniel said, cracking a small smile at her concern as he turned to lower himself in the chair. Peggy pulled several packages out of the bag, opening them as she set them down, revealing first turkey sandwiches, then ham sandwiches, and sliced apples from the final, more irregular-looking package. At last, she sat, reaching for one of the sandwiches and taking a bite.

“Well, it’s not quite the dinner I had envisioned for tonight,” Daniel mused, “but I’m glad we’re together anyway.” He reached for a piece of apple, then a sandwich.

“As am I, especially under the circumstances.” Peggy smiled softly at him, truly happy to be with him, even if their time together now was colored by the grim circumstances in which they found themselves. They continued to eat together, more or less in silence, but a comfortable one, punctuated only by the crinkling of paper and chewing.

Peggy looked carefully at Daniel when she could, studying him. She could see the strain of the last missions etched in his visage, lines of care, signs of fatigue just subtly rougher around the edges, when he was usually so well put together. She was sure it was much the same for her – they had been through quite an ordeal, courtesy of Whitney Frost, the Arena Club, and now whomever attacked Jack. It was so frustrating for her to have gone to the scene and walk away with nothing aside from fear for Jack, having seen just how much blood he had lost.

Being out of the war for so long really had given her a chance to readjust, to get away from the mindset that anyone could die at any time. She was jolted back into it by first Jason’s disappearance, her own brush with death, from which she was still healing, Ana’s injury, and almost losing Daniel to the rift. And now, to see Jack, who was so strong and capable of taking care of himself, lying vulnerable, perhaps dying, in a hospital bed. It was these realizations that made her understand just how she could not lose Daniel. She was done losing people she cared about.

Daniel caught her looking and held her gaze. He couldn’t help the smile that came to his lips automatically when he saw her soft gaze. She blushed and returned her eyes to her food, causing his smile to widen. Of course, he was able to catch her gaze because he had been sneaking glances at her as well, although fortunately she hadn’t yet noticed.

As they finished eating, Daniel stood to clear up the trash and Peggy pushed the tray back to the door, then walked back and drew something else out of the bag – a bottle of whiskey and two glasses.

Looking at Daniel and smiling, she said, “I thought we might need this.”

Daniel agreed, so Peggy opened the bottle and poured into the two glasses for them on her chair, then handed one over to Daniel after he sat down and took the other for herself, moving her chair closer to him. She raised her glass solemnly and said, “To Jack.”

Daniel echoed her declaration and they touched glasses and drank to their friend. Daniel reached for Peggy’s hand and held it. They just sat, both taking comfort from the other’s proximity, worrying about their friend. Peggy shifted in her seat, leaning her head on Daniel’s shoulder. They would wait, hoping the best.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Already working on the next!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FINAL CHAPTER So excited!
> 
> Again, I can't thank everyone who commented and left kudos. Your encouragement was so lovely!

Nurse Haskell came in twice to check on Jack, reporting each time that no real change had happened, and then one last time to let them know that visiting hours were ending. They had finished their drink slowly, talking about Jack, reminiscing about their time “working together” as agents, and their time under him in the New York office. Whiskey-filled silences were plentiful as they paused. Daniel had his hand resting comfortingly around Peggy for a while, then she shifted to return their glasses carefully to her bag. Daniel released her, returning his arm to his side instead. Peggy felt the coolness that followed, the absence of his touch, as did Daniel feel the absence of hers.

Peggy stood, walking over to Jack, looking down on him. She adjusted the stray strands of his hair, normally entirely in check and in order, and restored that order to them, so that Jack looked just slightly more like himself, which comforted her. She knew he was normally strong, but his vulnerability at the moment was just not acceptable to her.

Daniel watched this, his gaze soft as he observed Peggy’s adjustment of Thompson’s hair, but his eyes hardened when she walked away, as he, too, was remembering Jack in his usual cocky, strong attitude, disturbed by the defenseless appearance of the man before him.

The two walked out together, leaving their colleague behind to the care of the hospital staff. Recalling what the doctor had told him earlier, Daniel led Peggy to the nurses’ station, asking if he could leave his information to be contacted in the case of a change. He began to leave his own address, when Peggy interrupted:

“Daniel, Mr. Jarvis wanted me to tell you that he planned to make up a bedroom for you at Howard’s, so that in the event we did get back very late, you would be able to stay. Why not spend the night there, so that if there is a change with Jack, you can take me with you? I’d much rather that than having either of us impose on Mr. and Mrs. Jarvis again to wake them and have Mr. Jarvis take bring me to meet you, since I assume you would come straight here in the event of trouble.”

Daniel started, “I don’t know, Peg, I appreciate the gesture…”

Peggy cut him off, placing her hand on his arm as a way of gently stopping him, “It’s already done, and it would be no trouble. You know I will want to come back with you to take care of anything with regard to Jack.”

Daniel look at her for a moment, considering his course of action. While he appreciated the help that Howard Stark had provided, he was rather fond of staying in his own bed. But he knew Peggy had a good point – he would call her to tell her what happened, if he did hear from the hospital staff, and then she would either have to wake Jarvis to meet him at the hospital or he would have to come get her – and she would find her way to the hospital, he knew there was no stopping her – so he decided to concede her point and acquiesce to staying.

“You’re right. I’ll take him up on that offer. I’ll have to swing by my place first, though, to grab some clothes, if that’s all right.”

“Of course,” Peggy responded.

A moment passed, then Daniel asked, “Can you let them know the number?”

“Oh, yes, of course,” Peggy said, then proceeded to give the nurse Howard’s number so they could both be reached in the event of an emergency.

After, the two walked out together, Peggy keeping pace with Daniel, the silence between the two of them fraught with concern, but more than amicable, even more than merely comfortable. Daniel took Peggy to his car, both of them continuing the silence. Each was wrapped up in thoughts about Jack, neither wanting to break the silence between them with meaningless platitudes, Each knew the other had been through similar situations before, and that nothing could be said to alleviate the worry, the pressure, the guilt at not being the one lying in the hospital bed, helpless.

As they approached his car, Daniel finally broke the silence and said, “Thank you for going to check out the crime scene. I know it must have been difficult, but I also knew I could trust you to get the job done. The agents I’ve got out here are still so green it’s hard to say whether they would have gotten the job done or not.”

Peggy responded by first grasping his free hand in hers, squeezing it reassuringly, then saying, “You know I will do whatever I can to help you, and to help Jack. He may be misguided at times, but his heart is in the right place.”

“I know,” Daniel replied, looking at her and smiling as they stopped by his car. He opened the door for her and she accepted, getting into the passenger side, placing her bag at her feet. Daniel closed the door, then walked round to get in and drive them to his house.

On the way there, aside from the occasional comment regarding their surroundings, both Peggy and Daniel were too preoccupied by their own thoughts regarding both their own situation and Jack’s situation to engage in conversation, almost as if by accord. The trip to Daniel’s house flew by more quickly than expected because they were both so preoccupied.

Arriving at his house, Daniel invited her to come in with him while he gathered a few belongings. Peggy accepted and followed him, admiring the sparse decorations and quite Spartan living quarters, which, while comfortable enough, indicated fairly clearly that the owner of this domicile had more important things to worry about than ensuring that every inch of the house be more than sufficient.

She waited for him in the sitting room, just looking around for any details that indicated Daniel lived here, rather than an anonymous person. She did see some personal touches – a drawing of a racehorse framed on the wall, a few family photos, but few personal items were present, from what she could see.

Daniel came back out a minute later, and stated, “All right, let’s head out.” Noticing Peggy’s subdued mood, he grew concerned, and walked closer to her as she stood, rather than advancing to the door. “Peg, what’s wrong?” he asked, concerned. He set down his bag and took her hand.

She shook her head, and said, “Nothing, I—,“ but her voice caught before she could finish her thought. She tried again, but instead of an articulate thought, all she could manage was, “I just – Jack –…” her voice continued to trail off, her focus on Daniel’s face.

“I know,” he began, “it’s hard to believe that’s really Jack Thompson, lying there in that hospital bed, but it is, and he’s relying on us to figure this out.”

“Yes, exactly,” Peggy finished. “Ordinarily, I wouldn’t worry about such a responsibility, but I’ve never seen Jack down like that.”

“Neither have I,” Daniel agreed, “but I have to believe that a tough S.O.B. like him is going to pull through. He’s too damn stubborn and self-righteous to let something like this keep him down.” He smiled at her, searching her face for a change, a lessening of worry or guilt, gratified when he saw her relief.

He leaned in, angling his face to hers, and she did the same, pressing a soft kiss to his lips. She wrapped her free arm around his back, then pulled away from the kiss and instead nestled her head on his shoulder. He released her hand and pulled her in closer; she wrapped her other arm around him in response. They stayed for several moments, holding each other, both still surprised that they were, in fact, holding one another. Daniel pulled back slightly, sighing, his hand sliding from the small of her back to the side of her waist.

“We should probably get going,” he said. “If we’re lucky, we may even manage to get some sleep tonight.”

Peggy released him. “You’re right, of course. Do you need anything else before we leave?”

“No, I’ve got it all here.” He picked up his bag again and followed Peggy as she walked out the front door. He paused to lock the door then continued to meet her in the car and make what he prayed was the final trip for the evening, to the Stark mansion.

\\\||//

The drive was mercifully quick, as Sousa lived a matter of miles from the mansion. He considered bringing up their feelings during the drive, but decided after a glance at Peggy that it would be best to wait until they could sit and talk. He knew they needed to start their discussion tonight, even if they did not end up finishing tonight. He just wanted to clear the air and start off right, if at all possible.

Peggy sat, her thoughts spinning. Her current state of inaction made her usual efforts at compartmentalization and focus on work impossible. So many things had changed in such a short time. She found herself required to wait, a feat of which she was technically capable, but never fond, but her impatience was not enough to shift her focus away from the recent personal developments, particularly with Daniel so close at hand, with the touches, the kisses, they had exchanged.

In an attempt to fend off her preoccupation, Peggy started a conversation regarding Daniel’s current staff, and which agents, if any, he thought did remain trustworthy, and how they would investigate the agents to determine their loyalties, if at all possible. They traded ideas and tactics along with speculation on the agents she had met, allowing her focus to be diverted partially, but she was relieved when they did arrive and Jarvis came out to greet them.

“Miss Carter, Chief Sousa, if you will please allow me to get you both settled in,” Mr. Jarvis greeted them, conducting them inside as soon as he had taken Daniel’s overnight bag from him. “You will, of course, be staying in the same room as before, Miss Carter,” he said, walking them towards the wing in which Peggy had stayed before, “I will take the dishes from you. Ana was hoping to speak with you before you went to bed, if you don’t mind. “Thank you, Mr. Jarvis,” Peggy said, “I would like to speak with Ana as well. Where is she?”

“She said she would wait for you in the sitting room,” he told her, turning to Daniel once more. “Chief Sousa, this way, please. You will be staying in this wing as well. I will show you which room we prepared for you for the night.”

As Jarvis ushered Daniel away, Peggy made her way to the main sitting room, which was nearest the Jarvis’ quarters. She saw Ana sitting, reading a book while listening to the radio.

“Ahh, Miss Carter,” she greeted Peggy exuberantly, “I’m so glad to see you. How is Chief Thompson?”

“I’m afraid he’s not doing well. There is doubt as to whether he will make it through the night, which is ultimately why I was able to persuade Chief Sousa to stay here. If something does happen, either Jack wakes or does not…” she was forced to make the briefest of pauses “does not make it through the night, we can easily make our way to the hospital or the SSR office immediately.”

“I am very sorry to hear that. I will be praying that he does make it through. From everything that Edwin has said about him, he sounds like he is strong.”

“He is, yes, and exceedingly stubborn, which is certainly an important quality when one is in poor health.”

Ana stood slowly, then asked, “Are you sure you wouldn’t like a nightcap?”

“Well, it would be nice. Whiskey?”

Ana poured two glasses, then offered them both to Peggy. “I would join you, but as I really must go to bed now, I thought you might perhaps like to offer a drink to Chief Sousa instead.”

“Ah, yes, well, thank you,” she managed, “and thank you as well for dinner. It was much appreciated by myself and Chief Sousa.

“Please do let me or Edwin know if you need anything in the night.”

“I will, thank you.” She hugged the other woman warmly. “I am so grateful to you both for your help. Good night.”

“Good night, Miss Carter.”

Ana exited to their quarters as Peggy left, returning to her wing to locate Daniel. She ran into Mr. Jarvis along the way.

“Miss Carter, I believe Chief Sousa is waiting for you in the drawing room,” he informed her. “Please do let me know if there is anything else you require tonight, and I will happily assist you.”

“Thank you, Mr. Jarvis. I just left Mrs. Jarvis as she was returning to your quarters.”

“Good night, Miss Carter.”

“Good night, Mr. Jarvis.

Peggy continued down the hall, beginning to feel a flutter of something in her chest, nerves of a sort. She had not expected Daniel to wait for her, but she quickly realized why. _He wants to talk_ , she thought, _about us_. She was both excited and anxious. She had come to realize just how much she cared for Daniel, and she knew he felt much the same. Continuing into the drawing room, she saw Daniel sitting on a sofa. He looked up as soon as the door opened, an involuntary smile touching his lips as he saw her.

He stood as quickly as he could, saying, “You brought me a drink?”

“Ana offered me a nightcap and gave me two glasses instead of one,” she explained, seating herself on the couch next to Daniel as he lowered himself to the seat once more, then gave him the second glass. “Are you all right?”

“Yeah, fine,” he replied, “Jarvis got me all set up and reminded me again that they’re here to help. I’m definitely not used to being waited on like that.”

“He really does mean it, too.”

“I know.” He started to lift the glass to his lips, but stopped himself, instead saying, “I think we should probably have that talk now, Peg.” He looked nervous, ill at ease, noticing she had become tense as well.

“Yes, of course,” she said, “we should…talk…” instantly feeling awkward.

Abruptly, Daniel began again, “I think I know where we can start. I’ll start.” He drew another breath before continuing, setting down his drink on the end table. “I really care about you, Peg. I think I always have. I think you know that. I know things are going to be complicated, with me living out here and you in New York. I don’t know that I can move back to New York anytime soon, since I took the call to run this office. But I want to give us a shot, even if it’s hard, even if it means I don’t get to see you, I know now that I have to try. I was too scared before, because I was afraid I wasn’t good enough. I can’t even walk, right, you know? I didn’t think I could follow Captain America.”

Peggy interrupted him by taking his hand in both of hers, “Daniel, when we met, I was so deep in grief, still stuck in the war, and feeling so alone. I had no friends at the SSR until you. I have always respected you – it was clear from day one you were more than just competent, and that you know how to treat people with respect. I have always valued your friendship, your kindness. I was so wrapped up in my grief that I didn’t know for so long just how much you mean to me. When I came here, Jack told me that you had asked for me, and I thought maybe you had decided to talk to me again. I didn’t understand until I found out that you were seeing someone, and I wanted you to be happy, that’s all I wanted for you.”

She forced herself to pause. She knew she had waited too long to talk to Daniel about any of this, and so now her thoughts, her feelings were spilling out faster than she truly wanted. She wanted to look away from Daniel, but she couldn’t, almost transfixed, needing to see him as she spoke.

Daniel took advantage of the pause, taking each of Peggy’s hands in his own and telling her, “I know I screwed up, Peg. I left, and I didn’t know what to make of us. By the time I was on the other side of the country, I was afraid I would never see you again, and when you turned me down for that drink, I was so sure you just didn’t want anything to do with me outside of work, so I thought a clean break would be best. And then I got to know Violet, and I…I really did love her. But when you came back, I woke up again. I loved her, but it was nothing like what I feel for you. I was lying to myself, and I hurt you and Violet because of that. I don’t know if I can forgive myself for what I did to the two of you, but I know that she made the right choice, breaking off our engagement. I only hope that you will let me make this up to you, because, Peg, I’m not going to leave again, unless that’s what you want.”

He stopped, looking unsure, gazing at her and waiting.

Her emotions shone through on her face, a smile turning up the corners of her lips, her eyes soft, warm.

“Daniel,” she breathed, “everyone runs away sometimes. I can’t fault you for trying to move on. I know how hard that is. I do want to move on, though.” Her hand moved from his hand to his shoulder, sliding down to his arm of its own accord. “I want to move on, with you, Daniel. When I almost lost you to the rift, it was too much. I have to have you in my life.” Overwhelmed, her head dipped, then she met his gaze again. She saw the emotion in his face and felt him release her hand only to pull her closer to him. Her now-free hand gently cupped his face, her thumb stroking his cheek, her eyes closing as their lips met urgently, Daniel’s hand warm on her waist, the taste of him, his hair in her fingers, his chest firm as her hand slid over it, reveling in the closeness.

Daniel marveled at the intimacy of their touch, a touch of disbelief in his thoughts quickly being drowned out by the loudness of his heart in his chest. He felt as though his chest were on fire from the fierceness of his emotions and her touch. Enraptured, he deepened the kiss and pulled her even closer to him, as close as their position would permit, his arm around her lower back.

After a minute, Peggy responded by breaking their kiss, breathing heavily. “Daniel,” she said, “I need to know, before we go any further. I need to know if – “

“Peg, I love you,” he said, his voice thick with emotion, “I can’t lose you again. Stupidest thing I ever did, going away from you.”

She smiled widely, leaning forward to resume their embrace, moving onto his lap, happy to be in his arms, feeling safe, secure, warm, loved. The rest of the world melted away for her, leaving herself and Daniel alone, together.

Daniel couldn’t believe that he could feel this happy, this complete. The only thing that mattered to him was the woman in his arms, how real she felt, how good it felt to finally be holding her, kissing her.

Blissful, the two did break apart at last, for a breather. Daniel brushed a stray strand of hair back from her face, tucked it behind her ear. She leaned forward again, kissing him on his cheek, then whispered, “I don’t want to be alone. Will you stay with me?” She then pulled away slightly to study his face as she waited for his answer.

“Of course, if that’s what you want.” He gave her a soft smile, his hand returning to her face to stroke her cheek, gave her a chaste kiss on the lips.

Her smiled widened as she pulled away and stood, grabbing their drinks again while Daniel got himself up from the couch. The two couldn’t stop smiling as he followed her back to his room.

“Wait,” Daniel said, “I need my bag. I have to wear this suit again tomorrow.”

“Don’t worry about it, we can just hang it up in my room,” Peggy told him.

He opened the door for her, feeling self-conscious to be opening her own bedroom for her, but the cheek grin she flashed him as she went through the door wiped that way in the next instant. He carefully closed the door, then leaned his crutch against the wall by the chair, where he then sat. Peggy placed the drinks on the neighboring table and said, “Here, let me take your jacket now.”

He obliged and watched as she shook it and hung it carefully on a hanger in her closet.

“What?” She asked, daring him to give voice to the comment apparent in his face.

“Nothing,” he said quickly, shaking his head. “Nothing at all.” He handed Peggy her whiskey and lifted his glass to her. “To us,” he said huskily.

“To us,” she echoed, touching her glass to his and they both drank to their future, draining their glasses in one go.

She sat on his lap, taking his glass from him and setting them both on the side table. Daniel’s arms reached to embrace her almost automatically, hands running slowly up and down her sides, while Peggy had one hand resting on his chest and the other arm around his neck and shoulders. “How about some music?” she asked and leaned over, turning the radio on, pleased to find she didn’t have to tune it. Before she straightened up, she asked softly, “Daniel, I know we agreed our date would wait, but, do you think we could go ahead and have a dance tonight?”

He couldn’t help but smile up at her as he said, “Anything for you, Peg.”

She smiled as she got up from his lap and helped pull him from the chair and towards her. The music was slow; their hands linked, their arms assumed the proper positions, with Daniel’s hand on the small of her back and Peggy’s hand on his shoulder, and their heads close together. The song ended, and another came on as swayed slowly together.

“Daniel,” she gave him a soft kiss on the cheek, “you can lean on me.” She recognized the song that came on, “Embraceable you,” and involuntarily inched even closer to Daniel, wrapping both her arms around him, resting her head against him.

The two continued in the same way for several songs, not speaking, merely reveling in their newfound closeness, enjoying the proximity. Daniel noticed that while relaxed, Peggy seemed exhausted. He whispered, “Let’s go to bed,” He could scarcely believe he’d said it, and thrilled when she sleepily agreed.

The two slowly parted, hands lingering as much as possible, and changed for bed. Daniel simply divested himself of his shirt and dress pants, laying them neatly over the arm of the chair. Peggy changed into her sleepwear, her makeup gone, her hair prepared for the next morning. He stood, waiting, as she came back in. She looked surprised to still see him standing, but he stammered out quickly,

“I, uh, I didn’t know which side you use,” gesturing to the bed.

“Oh,” her cheeks flushed. “I’ll take this side,” she managed, then walked to turn off the main light. Daniel went around to the other side of the bed, sitting to take off his prosthetic as quickly as possible so he could get in the bed before Peggy saw the remains of his leg. As he swung around into the bed, it was his turn to flush as Peggy walked back to the bed and got in with him. His head spun, working so hard that he was hyperaware of every detail around him.

She smiled shyly as she slid under the covers on the other side of the bed. Tired as she was, she felt a surge of energy as she met Daniel’s gaze, anticipation coupled with the somewhat contradictory feeling of comfort she felt sitting next to this man who was in her bed. It felt right, somehow, to be with him, although she never would have expected to be in this situation. She had asked him to stay almost on instinct, and while initially puzzled after she heard herself make the request, now, as she turned off the lamp on the bedside table and leaned closer to him, hearing his breathing, sliding into his firm embrace, she understood that she had made her choice because if possible, she never wanted to spend another night without him.

As he felt Peggy lean into him, he turned to press a kiss to her temple, then rested his head against hers, taking her hand in his. He heard her whisper, “Daniel…”

“Yeah, Peg?”

“Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For having that drink with me.”

“How about we do it again tomorrow?” he asked, not even trying to keep the smile out of his voice.

“It’s a date,” she promised.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am definitely not done with all the Peggy/Sousa feels. If I can, I will be back with more!


End file.
